The cut-off date determines which priority category an existing third level .au domain name is assigned to.

Names registered on or before 04 February 2018 are assigned to priority category 1. Names registered after 04 February 2018 are assigned to priority category 2.

The priority category is relevant to the priority application process for registrants of existing third level .au domain names (e.g. @xxx.edu.au) and can help determine who gets to register the exact match at the second level where there are competing applications for a given name.